Immersion Heater:An immersion heater is a form of water heater where the name refers to the electrically supplied element that is fitted inside a cylinder and heats the water. To simplify this it operates in very much the same way as your hot water kettle in that the water heats with the use of electricity, but on a larger scale. Dagenham Plumbers fit immersion and maintain heaters. This element sat in the inside of the cylinder and is controlled through a thermostat that will allow current to flow through the heater should the temperature of the static water drop below 60C. This is a needed protection for the homeowner, as it prevents them from being burned (this maintains the water temperature safely). Operation: This system operates by cold water entering the immersion heater (cylinder) at the bottom. The immersion heater or heaters (as more than one be fitted in the cylinder), begins to heat the water. This hot water can then be drawn off at the top of the cylinder. An unvented cylinder needs a high limit safety thermostat to be fitted at (90C) which will cut the power and stops the water boiling. There is a risk that at a lower temperature the legionella bacteria can form. Therefore this system has to be balanced with its water temperature. Legionella Bacteria:Hot water cylinders are the perfect environment for the legionella bacteria to form and thrive. 1). This bacteria is still quite rare, however, it can form in water having a temperature below 60 C, it does not survive very long at this temperature and will die once the temperature is raised. A Dagenham Plumber is highly aware of the dangers of legionella.2). The legionella bacteria will survive the best in water with a temperature that cycles between 20C-40 C and is usually spread in mist form. As long as the water temperature is regulated there is little chance of this bacteria appearing.

The Main Water Supply.The main supply of domestic fresh water that comes to our homes is provided by different water supply companies in different regions around the country, and are responsible for the production and supply of fresh pure water. This water is known in the trade as Potable (not portable) water. This is an old Latin name for fresh water. Dagenham Plumbers can isolate main systems.The Pipework.These pipes are known as trunk pipes and are run under the ground and are at a depth that will protect them from things like heavy traffic vibration and severe cold. They are called the company main. Our domestic pipes are connected to this pipe. Very old pipes were iron, cement or even asbestos. They are now plastic and coloured in blue.Connection.Each home will have their own connection via an isolating valve unique to their property, this means each can be individually turned off if required. A Dagenham Plumber recognizes isolating valves.The House.The pipes to the home from the isolating valve above are responsibility of the homeowner and uses a chamber for access to the valve. The pipe is referred to as the service pipe and is made from PVC, copper or even galvanized steel, however something called medium density polyethylene (MDPE) is now used. This pipe must be a minimum of 750mm deep to gain protection from frost. The pipe diameter must be at least 15mm but is normally 25mm and will be in a sheath as it runs under the building and rises.Water Metering.This is used to record usage and also calculate the water bill. It can be internal or external to the house. Wherever it is fitted it will have an isolating valve fitted. A drain will also be close by for any emergency draining that could be needed.

Thermostatic showers are really popular these days with quite a choice available. The principle of operation of these types of showers are quite similar and do not differ much between the various styles, and there are some options for the way they are controlled, materials and the way they are connected. Dagenham Plumbers can fit all types of showers.The Choices:First:The shower is completely set with its pipework inside a wall. The controllers are circular dials that provide the fine control of both the heat and water flow speed of the shower. This type is a good choice if you have a partition style or hollow plasterboard wall in the bathroom. With a solid wall, you would need to chase or channel the wall out to set the pipework. Naturally this involves more work as you need to make good the wall. A Dagenham Plumber will undertake this job if you do not feel confident to take it on.Second:The whole shower unit is chrome covered, including the water feed pipes, showerhead and mixer body itself. This particular style is a good option for installation in both partition and also solid masonry walls. The feed pipe for the hot water gets very hot and can burn if it comes into contact with bare skin. Not such a good choice for the elderly or young children. The controllers for this style of shower take the shape of rotary dials and in some cases they can be controlled with a joystick mechanism that you lift to open up the water, then move the control left or right to control the hot and cold flow of water out of the shower.Note: These particular types of shower are very susceptible to lime scale formation which is very visible. Needs to be regularly cleaned.

Most people dont bother or actually know that you can add certain things into your central heating system to keep it clean and help to stop things like corrosion and rust inside the pipework, which leads to blockages. A good and reasonably priced way is to use something called a corrosion inhibitor, which is in liquid form and added to your system to form an anti corrosion barrier. The internal components of the system including the pipes and radiators will suffer without this kind of protection.Test Your System:To test the heating system, you should take a hot water sample via the bleed tap on one your radiators. Dagenham Plumbers can carry out this test should you not feel confident. Pour the water into a glass vessel and drop a steel nail in. Take another sample from the kitchen tap and do the same. Leave these samples for a few days, then, look and if you notice that the nail in the tap water has begun to rust, corrosion in the system has started. Should the nail in the system water remain new looking, you will not need to introduce the corrosion inhibitor. If the water from your radiator is black and muddy, this is called sludge and means that you need to treat your system.1). Secure the ballcock for the feed and expansion tank so water cant fill it. 2). Open a drain cock at a low point in the radiator pipe work and drain. 3). Introduce the chemical into the tank. Move the ballcock to partially fill the tank. This will draw the chemical into the system. A Dagenham Plumber is qualified to do this. 4). Flush the system to rid it of the chemical, finally, refill the system with water and add corrosion inhibitor. Note: Always follow the makers instructions when using cleaning and other solutions.

The modern way of plumbing now uses a vast choice of very good fittings and materials. The plastic type of fitting is a favourite choice for plumbing professionals. It will resist corrosion and will not succumb to lime scale build up especially if they are fitted in areas of hard water. Usually if connected to copper pipework, the copper will normally be the pipe you see. Dagenham Plumbers use all modern forms of plumbing materials. Cut a Plastic Pipe.There are specific cutters to make accurate cuts. There should always be an allowance made for the amount of pipe in the fitting. The cutter needs to be lined up with the next V marking on the pipe and then apply the pressure for the cutter jaws. Turn the pipe as you cut and you get a smooth finished cut. A Dagenham Plumber uses and cuts plastic pipework.Push Fit Fitting.There are many of this fitting type available, like straight connectors, elbows and Tee pieces. They have an internally fitted grabbing ring that gives a good solid fit on the pipework. The rings are quite sharp so care is to be taken not to put a finger in there. Always make sure there is no debris and dirt in the fitting as they will fail.Dismantle a Push Fit Fitting.This a very straightforward task and done with a product specific tool called a key. These are available for every standard pipe. The key is basically a collar that clips onto the pipework making sure that its flat side faces away from the fitting. This clip slides up to the fittings cap and when pushed the fitted lugs will cause the fitting to be released.

The term blocked-gutter is one that is know quite well to most homeowners, but may not have happened to you yet. With the passing of the months and years however eventually it will happen to your guttering and water down pipes. It can be dealt with fairly easily. The gutters and down spouts will collect unwanted dust and debris which also include moss. The debris that gathers will, after time if not cleared forms a silty mass that will not allow anything to drain away, especially water and so it overflows. It is really quite simple to get rid of this mess in your gutters and pipework. Dagenham Plumbers deal with all kinds plumbing problems.Materials Required:Long Pole with Semi Circular Attachment.Bucket.1). With a ladder, climb up to the gutter so you can see in the trough. 2). Push the pole as far as you can reach down the length of the trough. A Dagenham Plumber uses this type of equipment.3). Use this to pull the mess towards you and then ditch by hand into a bucket and dispose of it. Of course the use of a ladder is quite dangerous so take care and do not carry this task out on your own if possible. When up the ladder do not over reach or lean the ladder on the pipework as this can damage the pipe or slip away.Rain Water Pipe:If this pipe has become blocked it can be more difficult to deal with. You can try to clear by pushing a drain clearing spring up and down inside the pipework. When the pipework is made of plastic it is simple to split each section and carry out the job on the ground. This is the best way to inspect and clear the whole section. It is historically a blockage at the bottom of the pipework. This causes the water to flood out of through all the joints, and is nearly always caused by a blockage in the gully section and is easy to clear out by hand.

If you find that the radiators in your home are hot in places and cold in others and in some cases just completely cold when your boiler seems to be working its socks off. The cause of this phenomenon will more than likely down to air sitting in the system. This will not cure itself and just go away, so you will need to take some action to fix this and use something called a bleed key to allow the air to escape. There are professional plumbing services like Dagenham Plumbers who can do this for you.Fitted to every radiator in a domestic central heating system there is a bleed valve on either of the top corners, it consists of a square metal block sat in the middle. The right size for a key to be placed over it.Should you not have one of these keys they can be purchased from your local plumbers merchant. Action:Isolate the boiler and pump. Fit the key and turn the block anticlockwise for one quarter of a turn. This should be enough but just in case you open it too far, have a bowl ready for any spills. Dont be tempted to open the valve further than you need to. It just results in a pool of water the floor. Listen and once the air starts to hiss from the valve, stop turning and keep the bleed key in place on the block so as soon as the air stops and water appears you will be able to shut off the radiator. A Dagenham Plumber can bleed a radiator circuit and balance the system, if you are not confident or unsure. If you get nothing is when you try to bleed the radiator, check in the loft to see if the feed and expansion tank is empty. If the tank is full, then the valve has a blockage and must be dealt with separately.

If the water heater you use is located in a space like, (a garage, basement, or attic) and you dont want to add heat, you could use a heavy blanket. But not just any blanket. An insulation type blanket is not really for use on a water heater located where its lost heat could be used. Neither is a blanket necessary if your water heater is new that is, covered with R-16 insulation. (The factory insulation is fitted between the shell and the tank, so dont worry if you cant see it.) The makers tally will tell you how much insulation your water heater contains. Dagenham Plumbers can give professional advice and service.You buy a water heater insulating blanket as a kit for the size of the heater for instance, 30, 40, or even 50 gallons. The kit contains a blanket thats finished with white vinyl on the outside and raw insulation on the inside and enough adhesive tape to finish the seams. A Dagenham Plumber fits this kit.How to wrap your water heater with a blanket:If yours is a gas water heater:?Wrap it all the way around and from the top to just a little below the controller. Dont panic if the blanket seems a little short. The tank bottom is quite a few inches above the bottom of the heater, and 2 or 3 inches below the drain valve. Do not use it on the top of a gas fired water heater as the insulation may cause a fire fire from the heated exhaust. Also, this insulation blanket should not be covering any of the following: The controller, anode or the pressure and temperature relief valve.If yours is an electric water heater:?As these heaters do not provide any exhaust gas, you may use this type of insulation on its sides and top. However to prevent electrical components from overheating, do not cover any covers for the element.

If you live in a rural place you will no doubt be familiar with the septic tank system. This system is your personal own sewage treatment unit. The septic system is always well out of sight and leaves no odour. A septic system is usually quite maintenance free. If it is well made a correctly maintained tank could last many years. However it will most likely require some maintenance or need to be replaced after about 15/20 years of use. A few simple pointers like not using massive quantities of water and not ditching foreign objects in the tank that the resident bacteria wont be able to break down should make you tank a hassle free zone. Dont forget that the septic tank will require cleaning when there is a solids build up. Dagenham Plumbers are skilled professionals. Recommendations:Lots of water will stop the balance in the tank.?And causes all kinds of backing up problems.Large amounts of chemicals used in the home cause problems. You can use detergents etc. and other household chemicals without wrecking the bacterial functions in the tank. Use a good quality toilet paper that biodegrades when wet. A way to find out if your toilet paper is correct is is to put a chunk of toilet paper in a jar half filled with water. Agitate the jar and observe if the paper breaks up the jar, and if the tissue breaks up easily, if it does, then the paper is fine to use with your tank.Grease should not be put in the drains as if it solidifies it will block the drain and also block up the sewer pipes or even build up in the septic tank. When in doubt, call in a septic pro like a Dagenham Plumber .

To remove and replace a damaged piece of pipe, follow these steps:Turn off the main water shut-off valve, then open a tap at the lowest point in the home. Dagenham Plumbers can do this.Using tape measure, determine the length of pipe required. The total length of the replacement piece of pipe and the two couplings, when fully assembled, must be around 3/4 of an inch?longer?than the damaged pipe.Put the tube cutter over the mark on the pipework and gently clamp down on the pipe by turning the grip clockwise and rotate. The cutter should move easily. Apply too much pressure too fast and it will bend the end of the pipe and damage the blade.Use a blade or a file to remove any burrs at the end.Polish the outside of the end to be soldered with emery paper until it has a bright finish. Do the same inside the fitting to which it will be joined. This action cleans and provides the necessary tooth for a solid connection.Apply a layer of flux on the outside of the pipe and inside the joint.Assemble the pieces and rotate the pipe in the fitting to distribute the flux and ensure a secure fit. Never use a torch around natural gas and always keep a working fire extinguisher nearby.8). When using soldering irons the tip of the blue flame should be directed at the fitting and not at the pipe, this allows the radiation of heat to the joint. As the flux begins bubbling, touch the end of the solder to one point of the joint. The solder will form a?beading around the joint. Remove the flame as soon as the solder begins to flow. Be careful not to move or jiggle the pipe or fitting for about a minute to allow the solder enough time to cool. A Dagenham Plumber can solder joints.9). Turn the water back on and check for leaks.